Style Icon: Dolly Parton

Style icon? Try living legend. Never known to wear the same outfit twice, Dolly Parton's fashion legacy spans decades, transitioning from old school classic Americana to the unrepentantly over-the-top style she has come to be known for today.

Style icon? Try living legend. Never known to wear the same outfit twice, Dolly Parton's fashion legacy spans decades, transitioning from old school classic Americana to the unrepentantly over-the-top style she has come to be known for today.

While classic Dolly was very much a product of her upbringing - a small town country girl from Tennessee with her high-waisted jeans, gold hoop earrings and tied up gingham shirts that wouldn't look out of place on any Rockabilly chick today - she always yearned for something bigger.

Parton often speaks about how she modelled her look on the town tramp, thinking she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. This is the Dolly we've come to know and love. From small-time bar singer to penning some of the most iconic songs of all time, Dolly Parton's legacy of music, style and films spans over 40 years in the business.

"It costs a lot of money to look this cheap" are the immortal words of Dolly Parton, justifying every young woman's (and many a gent's) love of OTT trash. The beautiful thing about Dolly is that nothing is too much. Everything about her style is so delightfully Dolly, making her damn near untouchable. While we may not all have Dolly's confidence and charm, we can take notes from the Queen of Country when it comes to our wardrobes.

Embellishment is key with Dolly. Sequins, jewels, embroidery and fringing: it's go big or go home. Mixing different embellishments is perfect when trying to evoke your inner Dolly, so don't be frightened to pair sequins with a lace knit cropped knit. For silhouette, Dolly keeps everything fitted with a real "if you've got it, flaunt it" attitude. The main focus for me has always been her waist, so cropped jackets, wiggle dresses and pencil skirts are perfect for drawing the eye-line in.

Colour wise, nothing is off limits. No one rocks black fringed leather like Miss Parton; however, for me, she's always at her best when in full-blown colour- dusky peaches, candy pinks and duck egg blues plus lashings of bright scarlet lipstick.

And that's Dolly Parton. A woman who doesn't do things by halves. Her style is consistently garish but she remains untouchable thanks to her refusal to compromise on what makes her Dolly. Her fashion choices are fun and bold while staying with a cut that she's found works for her, which is a brilliant attitude anyone could learn from.

Next time you're worried about experimenting with those oversized chandelier earrings or sequinned jumpsuit, remember to ask yourself: what would Dolly do?

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